Jimmy Eat World’s new record, Chase This Light, may have alienated those fans who just aren’t prepared to make the plunge towards full-blown pop-rock, but one thing is for sure: It is definitely a Jimmy Eat World album. It is, for the most part, much more accessible to the mainstream than it’s predecessor, Futures. Although Futures spawned two successful singles, “Pain” and “Work”, Chase This Light offers up the possibility of at least four radio-friendly singles.
Even the album’s cover art is an accurate preview of the content on the CD. The cover of Futures featured a wonderful photo by Christopher Wray-McCann of a man standing alone in front of an out-of-order payphone. This was a fitting introduction to such songs as “Drugs or Me” or “Polaris”; very dark and lonely tunes appropriate for a rainy Sunday afternoon. The brightly coloured peacock feathers on the Chase This Light cover let the listener know that they are in for a much lighter ride this time around.
The album blasts out of your stereo with “Big Casino”, already a heavily-spun hit on influential radio stations such as Los Angeles’ KROQ and Toronto’s The Edge. Similar to the opening track “Futures”, “Big Casino” is loud and in your face, with each instrument not letting up from beginning to end. Clarity enthusiasts might cringe at the thought that the band has given up on opening albums with slower tunes like “Table for Glasses”. They may also snicker at their perceived irony of the line “There’s still something left when your prime comes and goes”, but regardless, “Big Casino” does it’s job.
If there was any doubt Jimmy Eat World have lost their touch, that thought is erased by the wildly emotional “Let it Happen”. A definite highlight on the album, it captures all the powerful possibility of vocalist Jim Adkins’ voice and explodes with a terrific chorus. For anyone questioning Zach Lind’s role in the band, the chorus of “Let it Happen” displays how his drumming can add intensity and energy to already great moments.
“Electable (Give it Up)” is the closest thing the album has to offer to fans in love with 1996’s Static Prevails. In order to imagine “Electable” sitting beside “Claire” and “Call it in the Air” however, one would have to imagine Adkins’ vocals being much screechier, and the production of the song taken down several notches. “Electable” is fast and energetic, and may be the only tune on the album that wouldn’t get the band bottled to death at a Vans Warped tour concert.
Completely out of place on the record, “Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues” is slow, sad and experimental, and requires a lot of patience and loyalty to appreciate. It does, however, feature a fantastic string arrangement by Canadian conductor David Campbell, who also conducted the string section on Green Day’s “Time of Your Life”.
Chase moves ahead, and the final four songs are a major payoff. As of October 19, “Here it Goes” was rated as the second best song on the album in a poll at jimmyeatworld.com. A high-pitched, piercing guitar riff carries the song, unlike any other Jimmy tune thus far. “Here it Goes” takes the poppiness of tracks like “Carry You” and “Always Be”, and offers a certain originality. Practically screaming at Interscope records to be released as a single, the song stands on its own, while still fitting in with the other ten tunes.
The title track, “Chase This Light”, is three minutes and twenty six seconds of Adkins showing the world what he does best: blend simple, yet, well-crafted music, with phenomenal vocal melody. Whether you’re clutching to the brilliance that was Clarity, or you’re happily along for the post-Bleed American mainstream ride, “Chase This Light” is one of the best songs the band has released.
Any fan of music should take a listen to the madly passionate “Firefight”. After a verse that keeps you listening, the song explodes with a loud, emotional chorus reminiscent of “Kill”. With a wonderful melody and perfect bridge, this song is a sigh of relief to fans who were worried about them completely abandoning the style that so many associate them with. If you can only hear one song from Chase This Light, “Firefight” should be at the top of your list, as it contains instant gratification lacking on most of the record. Chase is closed out with “Dizzy”, which doesn’t have the same impact as Futures “23”, but is still a solid track. At the very least, “Dizzy” is a good song, but could easily grow into a favourite upon many listens.
A blend of Bleed American and Futures, it has definite highlights and possible skippers. There is a lack of spine-tingling moments; moments where you feel shivers, and must re-listen immediately to understand what you just heard. In the past, thirst for such moments have been quenched by the bridges of “Kill” and “Hear You Me”, the climactic ending of “Polaris”, or the ‘Merry Christmas’ moment of “12.23.95”. Referring to Zach Lind’s comment on their message board, Chase might not be one of the best albums in the last twenty years, but it’s closer than anything Angels and Airwaves are capable of writing.
